Summer is almost here, but to me it’s a 365 days of the year endeavor as I live in the middle of the Caribbean in Puerto Rico! I will give you a glimpse into the underwater world, introducing you to a spectacular soft coral called a sea fan. You can find them swaying under sea moving about every other current. They’re lavender, purplish, grow to various heights and are a sight to behold. The one I’m using has run its life. Believe me, when you’re snorkeling or scuba diving you don’t touch. You want to preserve the marine ecosystem as much as you can. Coral reefs are a barrier to protect the islands from heavy swells and currents.

Here is a photo I am sharing a photo of a black sand beach in Vieques, formed by volcanic sentiment and with a very unique property. Besides being sparkly you can put a magnet to it and it’ll grab on! How cool is that, right!

So here’s my process for you:

Step 1: : I took a small amount of Blackberry and White Dina Wakley Acrylic Paint to achieve the hue of the sea fan and painted my piece.

Step 2: : I wanted you to be able to see up close how sparkly the sand is. It is very thin. I use a tiny Tim Holtz spoon to add the sand in the mixing cup, yes that is going to be my mold! It happened by accident that I could unmold some excess Resin and well it’s now one of my faves! Adjust your inclusions the way you want them.

Hello! My name is Milagros C Rivera and I’m a mixed media artists who loves to explore and experiment with all kinds of mediums. I was raised in a creative home, everybody did something ceramics, sewing, baking, jewelry, wood, glass, no medium was off limits! I continue to play and learn without having to restrict myself to just one thing! I live in the sunny island of Puerto Rico with my husband, 2 amazing kids and a menagerie of pets that make my life complete! I’m currently on the Design Team and Social Media Coordinator for Relics and Artifacts. You can find me on my blog as well as follow me on Instagram, Snapguide, and YouTube.